Last of 'The Few'

[Yellow Fang]

As today is Battle of Britain day, it is worth remembering the sacrifice these boys made and the fact that only one of 'The Few' is still with us.
I had the privilege of knowing 3 Battle of Britain pilots when I was younger - all of them a credit to their generation.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/thinking-man/surviving-pilot-battle-britain-last/

He was an Irishman too.

 

[Yellow Fang]

I read a book recently about how some Handley Page Hampden bombers bombed two critically important aqueducts in northern Germany during the Battle of Britain. Five went in, three got back out, but they managed to blow it. Bomber Group were pretty busy bombing the invasion barges at the time too. I think they were moderately successful at that. I read a book last year called Blenheim Summer by a Blenheim bomber pilot who fought in the Battle of France. Nearly all his colleagues were killed. He was shot down twice and had to bale out another time. It was before Churchill's speech about the few, and the army thought the air force was not pulling its weight. His squadron lost their ground crew, because the Germans sank the ship they were leaving France in. So big it up for the bomber boys.

 

[gavroche]

and many people in this country have forgotten that the Common Market, EU ( whatever you want to call it) has prevented us from a 3rd one, including your Prime Minister.

 

[Andy in Germany]

and many people in this country have forgotten that the Common Market, EU ( whatever you want to call it) has prevented us from a 3rd one, including your Prime Minister.

Indeed. In fact, if people ask "what was the point", it made it possible that a few years later a Frenchman could write a letter to Germany offering reconciliation and a new way to work together, and the German Chancellor responded.

I can't think of a better way to honour the people who fought and died than making sure future generations don't have to.

 

[Drago]

and many people in this country have forgotten that the Common Market, EU ( whatever you want to call it) has prevented us from a 3rd one, including your Prime Minister.

I rather think its the massive British and American military presence in Germany, which remains to this day, that has prevented another one.

While the boot remains on the neck of the only country to start 2 world wars then there will be peace. If that presence is ever removed there will, eventually, be another - either Germany will rise again, or Russia will try it on. Either way, the EU have chuff all to do with it.

Indeed, Cyprus is in the EU and there has been an illegal army of Turkish occupation on the island since 1973 and the EEC did nothing to prevent it, and the EU does nothing substantive to remedy it.

 

[gavroche]

I rather think its the massive British and American military presence in Germany, which remains to this day, that has prevented another one.

While the boot remains on the neck of the only country to start 2 world wars then there will be peace. If that presence is ever removed there will, eventually, be another - either Germany will rise again, or Russia will try it on. Either way, the EU have chuff all to do with it.

Indeed, Cyprus is in the EU and there has been an illegal army of Turkish occupation on the island since 1973 and the EEC did nothing to prevent it, and the EU does nothing substantive to remedy it.

I do not believe that Russia has any plans to invade the West, it is not in their nature. They are only interested in keeping their satellite countries under control as a buffet against the West. Also, their own country is so huge that they already struggle to run it.
On the other hand. historically, Western countries have always been the invaders, France, England and Spain being the protagonists, having established colonies worldwide, in the past, in order to exploit them. I know that the world is different now and those those three countries are not powerful enough anymore to have much influence. I honestly do not believe that any one country in the world would want to use military force to invade another in the same way as Germany did in WW2 . Any control of another country now will be done economically and China has realised that a long time ago and will be the most powerful country in the world in the next 20 years, displacing the USA.
I still believe that DeGaulle and Chancellor Bohn I think ( excuse the spelling in incorrect) were determine not to have a 3rd round by creating the origins of the EU and not the massive presence of British and American forces in Germany. That was purely to deter Russia from moving any closer.

 

[Drago]

@gavroche - you are Neville Chamberlain, AICMFP!

You also seem to have forgotten your history. DeGaulle worked very hard to keep the UK out of the EEC, and our first application was unsuccessful because of him. things are as they are despite DeGaulle, not because of him.

 

[winjim]

I read a book recently about how some Handley Page Hampden bombers bombed two critically important aqueducts in northern Germany during the Battle of Britain. Five went in, three got back out, but they managed to blow it. Bomber Group were pretty busy bombing the invasion barges at the time too. I think they were moderately successful at that. I read a book last year called Blenheim Summer by a Blenheim bomber pilot who fought in the Battle of France. Nearly all his colleagues were killed. He was shot down twice and had to bale out another time. It was before Churchill's speech about the few, and the army thought the air force was not pulling its weight. His squadron lost their ground crew, because the Germans sank the ship they were leaving France in. So big it up for the bomber boys.

If we're including bombers then you might be interested in my grandfather's Lancaster, WS-J W4964 'Johnnie Walker'. Part of 9sqn, who along with 617sqn specialised in precision heavy bombing and were equipped to carry tallboy bombs. One of only 35 Lancs to survive over 100 missions, reponsible for sinking the Tirpitz, and even bagged an Me109, which was nigh on impossible, the gunner's job being not to shoot anything down, but rather to yell directions to the pilot in order that he could take evasive action. My grandfather is also one of very few servicemen to have been decorated for disobeying a direct order. They took part in the raid on the V-bomb facility at Peenemunde, where they were hit by an Me110. With two engines down, the pilot thought he was going to have to ditch in the North Sea so he ordered the crew to bail out over occupied territory. They refused, saying they'd rather take their chances and go down with him and the aircraft. He managed to get the Lanc home and for this the crew were awarded the DFM.

Here's a chunk of it in Newark air museum.

https://iwmvolunteerlondon.wordpres...w4964-more-than-100-operations-to-its-credit/


http://www.newarkairmuseum.org/Lancaster-Corner

 

[Blue Hills]

@gavroche - you are Neville Chamberlain, AICMFP!

You also seem to have forgotten your history. DeGaulle worked very hard to keep the UK out of the EEC, and our first application was unsuccessful because of him. things are as they are despite DeGaulle, not because of him.

Why do you think he did this?
An open honest question.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Mod Note:
Thread locked as requested by the OP.